Family movie nights are a great way to spend quality time together, but sometimes you want to mix it up and do more than just watch a movie. This blog post will give you 25 fun ideas for spicing up your family movie nights with activities that get everyone engaged. From games and crafts to snacks and challenges, these ideas will liven up your next movie night at home.
- Make Your Own Trailers
Before you start the movie, have each family member make their own “trailer” for what they think the movie will be about based just on the title. Give them a time limit of 1-2 minutes and have them present their trailer to the family. Not only is this a creative way to get everyone excited about the movie, but it’s fun to see how different each trailer is from what the movie ends up actually being about!
- Movie Bingo
Create bingo cards with different things family members might see or hear in the movie like certain words, actions, props, etc. As you watch, mark off squares on your card and see who can get 5 in a row first. To make it more challenging, make some of the squares “wild” so they can be used for any item.
- Themed Snacks
Pick snacks that go along with the movie theme or setting. For example, popcorn and candy for a movie set at a carnival or tacos and nachos for an animated film featuring Mexican culture. Let one family member be in charge of picking and preparing the themed snacks for an added layer of fun.
- Make Predictions
Before starting the movie, have everyone write down predictions of what they think will happen, who they think the villain is, how it will end, etc. After the movie, revisit the predictions and see who was right! This is a great way to engage everyone’s imagination before the story even unfolds.
- Movie Science
For family-friendly science fiction or adventure films, explore the real science behind the events, technology, and discoveries in the movie. Do some online research beforehand to find interesting facts and information to share with your family during or after the film.
- DIY Movie Theater
To recreate the movie theater experience at home, make tickets for each family member and have them “buy” snacks at a concession stand you set up. Use cardboard boxes as seats and dim the lights to make your own home theater. For an added touch, print out movie posters or film trivia to display around the room.
- Themed Costumes
Have everyone come dressed up as characters, in period costume, or wearing something inspired by the movie. Get as detailed or simple with costumes as you like – the fun is seeing what everyone comes up with! Offer a prize for the best dressed at the end.
- Movie Music Video
For musicals or music-centered films, have a family lip sync or dance contest to songs from the soundtrack. Give bonus points for incorporating props, costumes, and acting out scenes. Make it a friendly competition or collaborate on an ensemble performance.
- Intermission Activities
Plan something fun to do together during intermission like playing a quick game, doing Mad Libs, or enjoying an intermission snack. Or, pause the movie at a cliffhanger moment to make predictions about what will happen next before resuming the film.
- Create Your Own Sound Effects
Appoint one or two family members to be in charge of sound effects during key scenes using their voices, hands, feet, and anything else to create fun live sound effects. Get creative with pitch, volume, and style. The sillier the better!
- Movie Charades
Before starting the movie, write down key words, lines, or scenes from the film on slips of paper. Take turns picking a slip and acting out the scene without any words for the rest of the family to guess. See who gets the most right!
- Compare the Book
If the movie is based on a book, read the book together as a family before your movie night. As you watch the film, compare and contrast the book and the movie. What was different? What stayed the same? Was one better? Discuss together.
- Movie Debates
Pause the movie at different discussion points and hold friendly debates about key moments. Split into teams to argue for or against characters’ choices, debate story predictions, or defend your favorite characters. Appoint someone to be the judge who decides the winning arguments.
- Bring the Outside In
Decorate your living room to match key settings in the film – bring in plants for a jungle scene, tents and camping gear for the wilderness, make paper stars and planets for outer space. Get creative with items you have around the house to immerse yourself in the movie’s world.
- DIY Movie Treats
Make homemade snacks inspired by the movie. Design cookies or rice crispy treats to look like characters, make fruit kabobs or sandwiches shaped like objects from key scenes, or recreate famous food moments from the film. Get everyone involved in making and decorating the treats.
- Movie Bingo – Part 2
Create new bingo cards for each family member with squares that contain lines or quotes from the movie you think will be memorable. As you watch, cross off squares if you hear that quote. Quotes can be funny, serious, iconic, etc. First to 5 in a row wins!
- Create Your Own Merch
Make your own t-shirts, hats, or other fun merch inspired by the movie using iron-on designs, printable transfer paper, paint, and any other craft materials you have on hand. Get creative with your own original designs!
- Learn a New Skill
Look up videos on YouTube or online tutorials for skills related to the movie like martial arts for action films, dance moves for musicals, drawing characters, or anything else you see on screen. Try to master a new skill and then show it off after the movie!
- Movie Mash-Up Double Feature
Pick two movies that could work as a double feature and watch them back-to-back looking for connections between them. Compare story themes, film techniques, characters, settings, and more. Alternatively, imagine your own mash-up with characters from both films.
- Live Commentary
Let each family member take a turn providing live commentary during parts of the movie as though they were watching with the director. Give insight into behind-the-scenes facts, critique or praise acting choices, describe favorite shots, or add your own comedic observations.
- Research Time Capsule
For historical films, make a time capsule with artifacts related to the time period depicted in the movie. Have each family member contribute something representative of that era like clothing, tools, toys, or food. Bury the capsule in your yard or keep it stored away to rediscover later.
- Movie Journal
Have paper and pencils ready for family members to write down thoughts, drawings, and reflections as you watch the movie together. After the film, share journal entries and discuss reactions. Use the journals again on your next movie night.
- Flashlight Shadow Puppets
Use flashlights and your hands to cast shadows of characters, creatures, and shapes from the movie on the wall or ceiling during viewing. Get creative combining multiple light sources, props, and body shapes to make elaborate shadow puppet shows.
- DIY Drive-In
Pretend you are at a drive-in movie by watching the film in/on a vehicle like a car, wagon, bike, or even cardboard box decorated like a car. Serve snacks in cardboard trays and use pool noodles or cardboard as pretend steering wheels for the full drive-in effect.
- Red Carpet Premiere
Roll out a red carpet and have each family member dress up as if they are attending the movie’s glamorous premiere. Pose on the red carpet for photos, give interviews about what you’re wearing, and enjoy popcorn and other movie snacks in fancy glasses and dishes.
Conclusion
Spicing up family movie nights with fun activities shared together makes the experience so much more memorable. It brings everyone closer together through creativity, imagination, and engagement with each movie on a deeper level. Try out some of these 25 ideas for your next movie night at home to make it an exciting event for the whole family. The bonus? You might even look forward to family movie night more than the kids!